What does eiking mean?
"Eiking" is an obscure dialectal word found chiefly in Scots and northern English speech, where forms of the root "eik" relate to the idea of adding to or increasing something. It sits alongside the better-known Standard English verb "eke," familiar from the phrase "to eke out" a living or a meager supply, and the two words are often confused because of their near-identical sound and shared sense of augmentation. Because "eiking" is not recorded in major modern dictionaries and its attested uses are sparse, writers seeking a standard term for gradual addition or stretching of resources should prefer "eking out." The word is of interest mainly to students of regional vocabulary and the history of Scots, rather than to general readers.
nounDefinition pending review.
Plural form inferred from standard noun inflection; attestations are extremely rare.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of eiking
"Eiking" derives from the dialectal verb "eik," meaning to add or increase, which is closely related to the Old English and Middle English verb "eacan/eke," meaning also to add or augment. This same root gives us the modern phrase "eke out." Its use has been largely restricted to Scots and northern English dialects.
How eiking is actually used
This is a rare dialectal term confined largely to Scots and northern English usage; it does not appear in standard modern dictionaries and should be treated as non-standard in formal writing.
Easily confused with eiking
"Eking" is the standard English present participle of the verb "eke" (as in "eking out" a meager supply), whereas "eiking" is a Scots/dialectal form related to adding or increasing.